Aquarium Glaser-GmbH

Steatocranus casuarius



We currently have very nice wild collected humphead cichlids in stock. This classical aquarium fish can attain a maximum length of 11 cm in males.

Text & photo: Frank Schäfer.

Discus wild Heckel Blue Uatuma



We obtained very nice Discus Heckel in different sizes from the Uatuma river. The patterns of the individual fish vary a lot, but all of them have a lot of blue color in the horizontal stripes of the body. Even some blue headed fish are among these discus. All pictures are taken from fish that are currently swimming in our fishhouse, no archive pictures!

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer.

Acestridium dichromum arrived!



We received the very rare dwarf suckermouth catfish Acestridium dichromum from Venezuela. The species attains a length of 5-6 cm only. The species could be called "chameleon dwarf sucker cat", for it becomes bright green when sitting on plant leaves, but changes colour to brown within a few days when only roots and stones are available.

Text & Photo: Frank Schäfer.

Nannacara sp. Sourourou



The funny name of the species, which has not been researched by scientists so far, derives from the collecting site, the Crique Sourourou in French Guyana. This Crique flows near the coast and is a tributary to the rivers Sinnamary and Kourou. It has been collected in 2002 by Wolfgang Staeck, who brought it to Germany and created the common name. According to this author, Nannacara sp. Sourourou is identical with the fish that is called Nannacara sp. Mana in the hobby.

The very pretty fish is a close relative of Nannacara aureocephalus and attains a similar size. Males can become about 8 cm long, females around 6 cm. The very obvious difference in size between the sexes is typical for many Nannacara species. The small females get a very special coloration during broodcare and take care for the eggs - Nannacara are open brooders - very aggressively.

Keeping Nannacara sp. Sourourou is not difficult at all, but for breeding the species demands very soft and acidic water conditions. Our specimens in stock are German bred ones, sexually mature and show already their splendid colours.

Lexicon: Nannacara: means "small Acara". Acara is a Tupi word for cichlid. aureocephalus: Latin, means "with a golden head".

Text & photo: Frank Schäfer.

Chela cachius



This pretty flying barb is imported only very occasionally. It originates from the north of India. The species attains a length of about 5 cm and is a peaceful schooling fish that uses to swim in the upper layers of the water column.

The coloration of Chela cachius is very interesting. If there is a dull lightning of the tank, the fish looks rather drab. If the light comes from the front, the silvery scales shine in all colours of the rainbow. But the very special feature of the species is the deep blue colour in the inner layers of the skin. In a properly lightened tank, Chela cachius is a real eyecatcher. Depending on the angel of the light the fish shines in many colours or blooms in bright blue.

Regarding the keeping the fish is not demanding at all. It can be compared best with the Zebrafish (Danio rerio) or the Ruby barb (Pethia conchonius), both of which swim in the wild along with Chela cachius. The water chemistry is of lesser meaning and the temperature may range between 18 and 28°C. The fish feed readily on any type of usual fish food, but only from the water surface or during the sinking process. Chela cachius do not feed from the bottom of the tank.

Lexicon: Chela: after the indigenous name for the genus in Bengal. cachius: after the indigenous name for the species in Bengal.

Suggestion of a common name: Sky-blue flying barb

Text & photo: Frank Schäfer.

Danio kyathit






Danio quagga





We received fantastic wild collected fish of both species of Danio from Burma. They are close relatives of the well known zebra fish (Danio rerio), reach a comparable size and can be kept and bred in the very same way. Danio quagga has been thought to be a mere variety of D. kyathit for a long time, but is regarded now as a full species.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer.

Parosphromenus cf. filamentosus Ampah


Male

This pretty new species of licorice gourami originates from Borneo (southeast Kalimantan). Here it can be found between Ampah and Muarateweh. The species is very close to P. filamentosus and becomes around 3 cm long. Like all licorice gouramis the species prefers small, single species tanks, soft and acidic water and fine live food. Females can be recognized easily by the completely transparent caudal fin.


Female

Text: Frank Schäfer, photos: Martin Hallmann and Frank Schäfer.

Hemichromis cerasogaster


Male

This small species of cichlid attains a maximum length of about 10 cm. It belongs to the so-called red cichlids, but has a lilac basic body coloration. The species lives exclusively in the Lac Mai Ndombe in the D. R. Congo. There are usually no commercial importations of this species from that lake and so the fish is available only very occasionally. Our specimens are German bred ones. Typical features of Hemichromis cerasogaster are the golden face masc and the black spot in the dorsal fin, which is present in both sexes. This beautiful Hemichromis is told to be comparably peaceful.


Male

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer.

Betta ferox


Male

We received a very small number of fully grown specimens of that very rare species of Betta as German bred ones. The mouthbrooding species is known so far only from a very small area in Thailand (Bori Pat). Here the fish inhabit brooks with soft and slightly acidic water. The water temperature there is around 25°C. Maximum length reported is about 8 cm, male become generally larger than the females. Females have almost no shining scales on the body.


Couple

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer.

Leporinus sp. aff. tigrinus



This beautiful striped Leporinus originates from the Ventuari river in Venezuela. It represents possibly a still undescribed species of Leporinus; Leporinus with a similar coloration are known so far only from the Rio Tapajos and Rio Xingu in Brazil; these "haresnouts" (this is what the name Leporinus means translated) have been described in 1929 under the name of Leporinus fasciatus tigrinus. Nowadays this subspecies is usually regarded as a full species, eg Leporinus tigrinus.

The double band in front of the dorsal fin and the shining scales on the back are very obvious and seem to be species-specific. Against their own kind Leporinus are known to be quarrelsome sometimes, but our fish are quite peaceful so far.





One may reckon that the species attains a total length of more than 20 cm, as its close relatives (L. fasciatus, L. affinis, L. y-ophorus) do. It is also very likely that the fish feeds mainly on plant material. Currently our fish are between 6 and 8 cm long.

Lexicon: Leporinus: Latin, means "haresnout". tigrinus: means "striped like a tiger".

Suggestion of a common name: Tiger-Leporinus

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer.

New names - well known fishes - much confusion

Two of the most often traded algae eaters have been re-named some time ago, namely the Stone Lapper and the Flying Fox. The Stone Lapper has been called Garra taeniata for a long time, but this name is a synonym to the elder name Garra cambodgiensis, which is valid.This species has been confused very often with the Flying Fox (for example in the very popular Aquarium Atlas). The Flying Fox was called Epalzeorhynchus (or Crossocheilus) siamensis. This name also proofed to be a junior synonym of the elder - and thus valid - name Crossocheilus oblongus.



Both species can be easily told apart:

Stone Lapper (Garra cambodgiensis)

- black stripe does not extent to caudal fin (tail fin)
- dorsal fin (the fin on the back): painted with three zones
- no barbels on nose, but only barbels in the corner of the mouth
- no small black dot in front of dorsal fin on the back







Flying Fox (Crossocheilus oblongus)

- black stripe extends in the caudal fin
- no colour at all in dorsal fin
- one pair of barbels on the nose, another pair of barbels in the corner of the mouth
- always a small black dot in front of dorsal fin on the back







Both species are excellent algae eaters and should be best kept in schools. In Garra cambodgiensis males and females can be told apart by the shape of the head, in Crossocheilus oblongus females can be recognized by the plumper body only.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer.

Betta mahachaiensis and Betta siamorientalis



These beautiful species of wild Betta have been described scientifically recently. We have both species in stock. Our tentative designations for the fish were Betta sp. Mahachai for B. mahachaiensis and Betta cf. imbellis Black Vietnam for Betta siamorientalis so far.



Both species are very nice, comparably peaceful fighting fishes. Keeping and breeding is similar to that of the well known Betta imbellis. However, Betta mahachaiensis prefers slightly brackish water and Betta siamorientalis is most beautiful in soft and acidic water.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer.

Danio dangila



We received once more very pretty Danio dangila from India. This species is the type species of the genus Danio. D. dangila attains a maximum length of about 12 cm. Each individual has a bit different pattern. The coloration reminds one in Damascus steel.



Text & photos: Frank Schäfer.

Barbus fasciolatus



Only very few species of barbs from Africa became established as ornamental fish, although a great number of small species occurs there. Only one single species is bred on a regular basis and can be found in the trade quite often: Barbus fasciolatus, the African banded barb. This fish is a real beauty! A well known synonym of the fish is Barbus barilioides.

The African banded barb attains a maximum length of about 6 cm. It is a schooling fish and should always be kept in groups of at least 12 specimens. Otherwise the fish will be shy and dull colored. Properly kept fish are wonderful to look at. A dark bottom and plenty of plants make the fish look best.



Against all possible tankmates these barbs are completely peaceful. Plants are also ignored usually. Initially this species originates from southeastern Africa (Angola, Botswana, D. R. Congo, Namibia, Zambia, and Zimbabwe), but in the hobby exclusively bred specimens are available.

Currently we have very nice, large and fully colored German bred ones in stock.

Lexicon: Barbus: Latin, means "the bearded one", referring to the barbels. fasciolatus: Latin, means "with tender stripes". barilioides: means "similar to a Barilius"; Barilius is another genus of barb.

Common name: African banded barb.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer.

A new species of Crenuchus!


Male

We were able to import this obviously undescribed species of Crenuchus from Venezuela. This beautiful, reddish tetra is distinguished from the only described species of the genus (Crenuchus spilurus) by the deeper body, the orange-red fins, the only hardly visible caudal spot and the fact that the anal fin in males of the new Crenuchus is not as much extended as in males of C. spilurus. The latter is imported together with the new species.


Female

The females of the new Crenuchus - sadly the shipment contained only very few females - have no pattern in the dorsal fin. It is unknown how big the species may become, but our specimens are about 5 cm long and fully sexually differenciated.

Crenuchus are broodcaring fishes, an exception within the tetra relationship. Males occupy tubes or other types of cave for breeding. The fish spawn in an upside-down manner and attach the eggs on the roof of the cave. The male guards the eggs until thy hatch, the the broodcare ends.


Male

Hopefully we will able to import a larger number of these beautiful fish in the near future.

Lexicon: Crenuchus: ancient Greek, means "guardian of the spring". spilurus: ancient Greek, means "with a caudal spot".

Suggestion of a common name: Red Sailfin Tetra

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer.

Trochilocharax ornatus



Once more we were able to import the charming, only 2 - 2.5 cm long crystal rainbow tetra from Peru. For more information on the fish, please click http://www.aquariumglaser.de/en/archiv.php?news_id=317



Text & photos: Frank Schäfer.

Peckoltia sp. Alto Nhamunda


Couple

For the first time ever we could import this attractive dwarf suckermouth catfish. The maximum length observed was about 14 cm. The males - they can be easily recognized by the long "whiskers" - have a very obvious different colour compared with the females.


Male


Female

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer.

Apistogramma velifera


Male

This pretty dwarf cichlid was known in the hobby under the names of Apistogramma sp. "Segelflossen" (=sailfin), A. sp. "Puerto Ayacucho" and A. sp. "Vierstreifen" (= four stripes) until it became described scientifically. The species has never been imported on a regular basis and currently no importations appear at all. So we are quite happy that we can offer wonderful, fully grown German bred ones currently.


Female

The fish are not very demanding, although they live in the wild in quite extreme water: hardness less than 1° dH, pH around 5. They are often found along with Altum angels.

It is very interesting to watch the males displaying (by the way: males are comparably quarrelsome against other males). The male starts displaying by swimming laterally to the female. At that stage only the anteriormost part of the dorsal fin becomes unfolded. Now the male turns more and more in a head-down position and finally enfolds the complete dorsal fin. It happens now and then that the male stands even vertically in the water.





Males of Apistogramma velifera become about 7 cm long, females become only 4 cm long. Sometimes the males participate in keeping the offspring in this species.



Lexicon: Apistogramma: ancient Greek, means "with unreliable line". It is not known wether the lateral line organ or the pattern is meant. velifer: Latin, means "bearing a sail".

Common name: Sailfin-Apistogramma, Four stripes Apistogramma

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer.

Barilius bakeri



We could import this breathtaking beautiful barb from the South of India (Kerala). The species is an ideal ornamental fish for larger show aquaria. It attains a length of 12-15 cm. One should keep Barilius bakeri always in schools (from 5 specimens upwards), otherwise they are often very quarrelsome.

Text & photo: Frank Schäfer.

Crenuchus cf. spilurus Venezuela



Along with the new, red species of Crenuchus that lacks the tail spot (see http://www.aquariumglaser.de/en/a-new-species-of-crenuchus_en_1493.html) we received splendid, large Crenuchus cf. spilurus from Venezuela. Some specimens also have a reddish basic coloration, others are yellowish. Only the males develope the gorgeous sailfins.









Text & photos: Frank Schäfer.

Polypterus ansorgii



We obtained impressive, 50-60 cm long specimens of this rarest of all species of Polypterus. The fish originate from Guinea.

Text & photo: Frank Schäfer.